RESUMO
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Sexual dysfunction adversely affects quality of life, self esteem and interpersonal relationships and it may often be responsible for psychopathological disturbances. The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence and associated risk factors for Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD) in women with Kurdish culture from western Iran . MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive survey which included 400 women aged 18-50 years old, married, from Ilam-IR, who were interviewed as per the Iranian version of Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). The subjects were randomly selected from 4 primary health centres. RESULTS: According to the findings, 185 (46.2%) women reported FSD. Prevalence of FSD increased with age, from 22% in women aged <20 years to 75.7% in women aged 40-50 years. FSD was detected as a desire problem in 45.3% of women, an arousal problem in 37.5%, a lubrication problem in 41.2%, an orgasm problem in 42.0%, a satisfaction problem in 44.5% and a pain problem in 42.5%. The educational level was inversely correlated with the risk of FSD (OR: 1.54 ,95% CI: 1.09-2.13). Patients with FSD were significantly more likely to be older than 40 years (OR: 2.23, 95% CI: 1.12-2.68), who had sexual intercourse fewer than 3 times a week (OR:1.85, 95% CI: 1.23-1.99), who had been married for 10 years or more (OR:1.76, 95% CI: 1.04-1.97), who had 3 children or more (OR: 1.48, 95% CI: 0.97-1.24), who had husbands aged 40 years or more (OR: 2.11, 95% CI: 1.35-2.37) and who were unemployed (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.06-1.63). No significant differences were detected in smoking history, residences and contraception methods used (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: FSD needs to be recognized as a significant public health problem in Kurd women. Further research, particularly studies on awareness and competency of physicians in the management of FSD, is required.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: During labor, women experience a high level of intense, stressful and steady pain that may negatively affect both mothers and neonates. Painkillers have previously been used for childbearing women, but nowadays, owing to some well-known limitations and serious side effects, nonpharmacologic methods such as massage and music therapies are being broadly recommended. The present clinical trial was conducted to compare the effects of massage and music therapies on the severity of labor pain in the Ilam province of western Iran. MATERIALS & METHODS: Overall, 101 primigravidae who were hospitalized for vaginal delivery were recruited and randomly stratified into two groups of either massage (n = 51) or music (n = 50) therapies. Pain was measured using the visual analog scale and the two groups were compared in terms of pain severity before and after the interventions. RESULTS: Mothers in the massage therapy group had a lower level of pain compared with those in the music therapy group (p = 0.009). A significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of pain severity after intervention (p = 0.01). Agonizing, or most severe, labor pain was significantly relieved after massage therapy (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Massage therapy was an effective method for reducing and relieving labor pain compared with music therapy and can be clinically recommended as an alternative, safe and affordable method of pain relief where using either pharmacological or nonpharmacological methods are optional.
